Device identification in a network environment is known. Typically, a network-compatible device carries its identification. The simplest case of such identification-based network is the conventional telephone network. Each line is assigned a number, which allows compatible phone clients to communicate with other phone clients. Another example is the Internet, where a computer or any other communication device needs to have an IP address in order to send/receive packets of data. Such networks are designed to handle large number of clients and their identification schemes are complex and expensive to implement. Similar addressing schemes are used in LANs and WANs. Governmental agencies and large corporations can afford a full-scale implementation.
Simpler device identification and control mechanisms are being used in home networks. An example of a simple protocol for a home/office network is the power-line based X-10 protocol. Each control module is identified by a combination of a letter and a number, manually set by an end-user or a system installer. X-10 control modules, when plugged into a power outlet, receive control signals from compatible devices (computers, X-10 controllers, etc.) over the power lines. When home appliances, such as lamps, TVs, VCRs and etc., are plugged into the X-10 control modules, their power supply is controlled by these control signals. Another example of a power-line based network has been developed by Intellon Corporation. (see www.intellon.com). Intellon's products enable implementing low-cost wireless networks using a Spread Spectrum Carrier technology for communication over power line and RF media. Similar home solutions exist for phoneline-based networks (see, e.g., the technology of Epigram Inc., now part of Broadcom Corporation, at www.epigram.com) and RF-based networks (see, e.g., www.x10.com/products/x10_vk22a—1.htm).